History web page
Intent
The aim of the curriculum at Palm Bay Primary School is to provide a broad, balanced, and inclusive education that meets the needs of all pupils and prepares them for the next stages of their lives. The keys aim of our History curriculum is to:
- Develop Critical Thinking
- Understand Chronology
- Foster Curiosity
- Build Cultural Awareness
- Cultivate Historical Enquiry
Implementation
At Palm Bay, we follow the CUSP History Curriculum, which is carefully designed to ensure that key knowledge and skills are revisited and built upon as pupils move through the school. This approach helps children to make strong connections in their learning and ensures that understanding is securely embedded over time.
In Year 1, the CUSP curriculum is closely linked to the EYFS Early Learning Goals (ELGs), enabling a smooth transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1. Our EYFS Curriculum Overview identifies the key learning within Understanding the World, forming the foundations for future historical understanding.
A core feature of the curriculum is its three-tiered vocabulary approach, which supports all pupils in accessing new learning while also introducing rich, subject-specific language that deepens knowledge and understanding.
We are committed to ensuring that all learners thrive, including our more vulnerable pupils, through carefully adapted content, effective scaffolding, and targeted support.
Our curriculum follows a spiral structure, meaning that key concepts and topics are revisited regularly—each time at greater depth—to extend knowledge, deepen understanding, and refine historical skills.
Throughout the curriculum, there is a clear focus on both substantive knowledge (the facts and events of history) and disciplinary knowledge (the skills of a historian, such as enquiry, interpretation, and evaluation).
Impact
At Palm Bay, our history curriculum inspires children to develop a love of learning, showing genuine engagement and enjoyment in their studies. Pupils build new knowledge on a strong foundation of what they have already learned, allowing them to make meaningful links across topics and time periods.
Through high-quality questioning, children are encouraged to think more deeply, explore different perspectives, and develop their ability to reason and explain. They are given opportunities to work independently, making thoughtful choices about materials and resources to support their learning.
Our curriculum enables pupils to develop and apply new skills, not only in the classroom but also in ways that connect to real-life contexts and future aspirations. By understanding how historical enquiry, analysis, and interpretation relate to the wider world, children begin to see the relevance of history in shaping both the past and the future — and even potential career paths.